Strangers in Death (In Death #26)(111)

“Ava test drove it.”

“Be my take. Disposable ’link, dead as disco. Those type don’t hold transmissions much over twenty-four anyway. If they do that. And this one’s cheap shit.”

“You’re telling me you got zip?”

“I didn’t say zip.” He stretched out his legs, crossed them at the ankles. “Every electronic byte leaves an imprint. A smudge anyway. You go in right, and you can finesse. We got what you could call echoes. ’Link’s a piece of crap, but crap can be manipulated. We need to process the echoes, tune them up, sort them out. Something’s there. Give us a day or two, and we’ll pull it out.”

“Good. Peabody?”

“Adult toy items matching those at the Anders crime scene were purchased by Suzanne Custer, or earlier by Ned Custer. All but the ropes were obtained by her at Just Sex. She purchased the ropes, with cash, at Bondage Baby. Custer also obtained, by doctor’s prescription, lotrominaphine, the medication found in Thomas Anders, as well as six pressure syringes. Four syringes were also found in the bag recovered from the Custer apartment, as was the partially used prescription of the tranq. She’s wrapped.”

“And yet,” Reo commented, “Murder Two.”

“It’ll be worth it,” Eve told her. “In Interview, Suzanne Custer stated that at Ava Anders’s suggestion the two women entered into a bargain to kill each other’s husbands. Reportedly, Anders recorded their promise.”

“That’s dumbass,” McNab put in. “Why incriminate yourself on record?”

“If Ava ever recorded her own statement, she’s long since wiped it. But I’ll bet she’s got Suzanne’s tucked away for leverage.”

McNab nodded. “Not so dumbass.”

“Three days after the Custer murder, Anders waylaid Custer on Custer’s way to her usual Monday morning marketing. Custer and Anders were seen together, and today identified by Isaacs, Jerome, the market’s owner.” Eve pointed a finger at McNab before he could speak.

“Yes, dumbass, but we’re dealing with a woman who never believed we’d have any reason to tie her and Suzanne Custer together. And if we asked? She could easily claim she’d dropped by to pay her condolences.

“So moving on. Custer further stated that Anders informed her Anders had killed Ned Custer—and gave all details to same. And it would soon be time to complete the bargain. According to Custer’s statement, Anders used threats and duress to obtain her agreement, while Anders drove into New Jersey, to a rest area. A security tech at same has identified Anders and her vehicle, corroborating Custer’s statement. At that time, Anders gave Custer the disposable ’link, and described how Thomas Anders was to be killed.”

“You’re going to get a lot of she said/she said here, Dallas,” Reo commented.

“Yeah, so we’ll need to make what Custer said stick. We need those echoes cleared, Feeney. Custer did not, as Anders instructed, dispose of the ’link, the remote, the discs. Anders lied about her husband’s sexual proclivities.”

“Prove it,” Reo demanded.

“Your job. But, she told both Custer and one Petrelli, Bebe, that Thomas Anders was a sexual deviate, and a pedophile. She indicated same to a Gordon, Cassie. There is no evidence this was true. In fact, there is weighty evidence it was not. Ava engaged a licensed companion for several months. There is no evidence Thomas Anders used LCs or engaged in extra-marital affairs, as Ava claims. Let her prove it,” Eve added.

“After receiving the news that her husband was dead,” Eve continued, “Ava ordered a tasty breakfast, ate same, dressed, and groomed meticulously. She didn’t wake her friends, but took a shuttle home alone.”

“I just don’t like her.” Reo examined her nails. “I don’t like Ava one little bit.”

“Get in line. Rewind two months. Custer, Ned, was last seen with a tall woman, a redhead, taken to be a pro. She went from a bar to a flop with the victim, and did not exit by the door. Ava told Suzanne that after slitting Custer’s throat, and whacking him off in a permanent manner, she exited via the fire escape. She owns several red wigs.”

“Get me something physical,” Reo insisted. “It’s a good circumstantial case, but—”

“The vehicle registered to Ava Anders was parked eight blocks north and one east of the Custer murder scene,” Roarke put in without looking up. “The vehicle had reserved parking for that slot, in that lot, for a period of two weeks. It was used three times, the last on the night of the murder, clocking in at 10:12P.M. , clocking out at 2:08A.M. ”

“Okay, that’s interesting.” Something lit in Reo’s eyes. “How do we prove she drove it there?”

“Because she f**king did,” Eve snapped. “Because on that night and the ten days prior, Thomas Anders was out of town, and she could come and go as she pleased. Look at the time line. She kills her father-in-law, and that’s the turn.”

“Reginald Anders’s death was deemed accidental.” Reo tossed up a hand. “Don’t bite my head off, that’s the fact. You’ve got the case reopened, and I’m inclined to agree she killed him because I don’t like her. But at this point, we’ve got an old man slipping in the shower.”

“We won’t end with that. She hired a decorator the week before Reginald Anders took the fall. Shortly after it’s reported, she and the old man had a private talk in his office about her charging personal expenses to program budgets. She didn’t walk out happy. And according to the housekeeper, decorating talk began two weeks after the father-in-law’s death, though she’d already contracted with one.